XCL Lightning-class Experimental Light Cruiser
'Name/Registry:' XCL Lightning-class Experimental Light Cruiser 'Crew:' - 25 Bridge Crew - 300 Standard Crew - 100 Weapons Crew - 50 Marines 'Armament:' 'Standard Armament' - 3 x MEAC (Medium Accelerator Cannons) - 30 x 50mm MLA PD Auto Cannons (Magnetic Linear Accelerator Point Defence Auto Cannons) - 50 x Archer Chemical Missile Pods (24 Missiles Per Pod) - 12 x Hummingbird Counter Missile Launchers (60 Missiles) - 6 x M401 Laser Cluster Emitters 'Interchangeable Armament:' - 2 x XM3 Energy Torpedo Launchers (Prototype: Replaces Medium Accelerator Cannons) 'Ship's Armoury:' (Stored in weapons lockers) - 20 x MA5B Assault Rifles with three magazines each - 40 x MA5C Assault Rifles with three magazines each - 80 x M6G Sidearms with two magazines each - 200 x HE Fragmentation Grenades 'Powerplant:' ‘ZEUS’ Dual Fusion Reactor 'Propulsion:' Vectored Plasma Drive (Main Engines), Ion secondary-thrusters (Secondary engines/stealth engines) 'Description:' The Lightning-class Experimental Light Cruiser is a step along the UNSC's turning away from larger ships and moving to multiple smaller warships. The XCL fits into the position, size-wise, of a destroyer, but packs more of a punch than a standard destroyer and nearly as much as a light cruiser, and is designed to outrun anything it can’t destroy. This is similar to the concept of the heavy destroyer: a ship class that was eliminated during the Human-Covenant War. With the Orca-class destroyer rapidly becoming ineffective in squadron combat as the catalyst for the prototype, the Lightning-class was quickly pushed through the 'paper' stage. Original testing of the XCL class was completed with a standard single fusion reactor, which was found insufficient to power the MAC systems and all other systems on the vessel. While the dual reactor assembly typically reserved to larger ships was more costly; it was projected to actually cost less for a pair of Lightning-class light cruisers than for a single Halcyon-class cruiser. The Experimental Light Cruiser is an almost an exact replica of the Orca destroyer hull while being slightly longer. With a larger propulsion system, the class is able to attain roughly the same acceleration and manoeuvrability; however, that is where the similarities end. The power plant takes up most of the aft sector, save for the accelerator cannon tracks and their loading mechanisms. The MEAC’s are a new development from UNSC Research, and are the indirect, smaller descendents of the first, prototype Splinter MAC mounted on the Pillar of Autumn. The MEAC differs from the original Splinter MAC in several ways, not the least of which is the fact that it can fit into a 480 metre long chassis, as opposed to 1170 metres, and it can also reclaim enough energy over the shortened track length to be able to fire every fifteen seconds, capable of eliminating most lighter capitals in quick time. The Lightning-class carries fifty Archer chemical missile pods containing twenty-four missiles each, providing plenty of long-range firepower. Also carried are sixty ''Hummingbird'' Counter Missiles launched from twelve launchers that are designed to engage and destroy enemy missiles and fighters before they can engage the ship. The counter missiles contain mostly propulsion systems, making them incredibly fast and capable of high-G acceleration, while a small explosive warhead assures they can destroy any missile or fighter they engage. They rely more on being able to physically ram into their target rather than the warhead to destroy it, hence the large propulsion system. However, the warhead is also a valuable tool, being able to be detonated, before, on or after contact as the situation demands. Finally, six cluster laser emitters supplement the Hummingbirds, increasing the XCL’s point defence capabilities by an order of magnitude, along with thirty 50mm MLA point defence cannons which are used as last ditch point defence and are easily capable of filling space with a wall of lead or attacking enemy capital vessels at point blank range. The Experimental Light Cruiser also has an interchangeable weapon system which allow it to be modified for most situations. Two XM3 Energy Torpedo Launchers can be mounted on supplied hard points in exchange for the MEAC’s, creating a vessel supremely qualified to drop an enemy’s shields and then move to closer range for the kill shot with thousands of Archer missiles and concentrated MLA fire. The trade-off for the increase in weapons systems is that the Experimental Light Cruiser carries no nuclear missiles, and has slightly decreased armour, to offset the increased mass from the additional systems to retain the same manoeuvrability and speed as a destroyer, which allows her to follow her motto of outrunning anything she can’t gun down. Not to mention the increased energy signature inherent with more powerful reactors and more weapon systems. The XCL Lightning-class Experimental Light Cruiser is still in the stages of testing and development, and there is currently only one in existence, the UNSCS Predator, under the command of Captain Mark Johnson. Category:Starship Class